brake pads are a critical component of a vehicle’s braking system, ensuring safety, performance, and longevity.
When driving, I believe almost all of us have encountered brake noise at some point. Sometimes it happens infrequently and disappears quickly, while other times it can be frequent or intermittent. If we can’t identify the problem, it can be quite unsettling. As someone working in the brake pad industry, we have summarized several common situations and their solutions in the hope that they will help you.
Why Do Some Brake Pads Make Noise?
If you hear a noise when you brake while driving and it stops when you release the brake, it usually indicates that the brake pads are completely worn out. If it’s just the wear brake indicator on the brake pad, it will make a continuous, sharp noise whether you brake or not.
If you hear such a noise and find that the brake pad is still thick when you check it, the noise might be due to the brake pad hitting a hard spot. In this case, you can remove the brake pad and sand it down on a piece of sandpaper. This usually resolves the noise. If the noise returns after a while, it is likely due to a quality issue with the brake pad, and you will need to replace it.
If you hear a noise when you are not braking, but it stops when you press the brake, it is usually caused by the edge of the brake disc touching the edge of the brake pad, which means the brake disc has developed a step. To fix this, you can:
- Replace the brake disc.
- Sand the brake disc to make it smooth.
- Sand off a corner of the brake pad’s edge to eliminate the step.
If you hear a noise when reversing, it is usually caused by the parking brake shoes. The brake pads wear more when driving forward, so reversing can cause a noise if they are unevenly worn. You can sand down the worn parts of the brake pads to resolve this noise.
Temporary Solutions
Apart from the case where the brake pads are completely worn out, other issues can be temporarily resolved by sanding the brake pads. However, you must ensure that the brake pads are not worn to their limit before driving for safety reasons.
Important Notes
For long-term and thorough solutions, it is recommended to have your brake system inspected and repaired by a professional technician to ensure driving safety.
the brake pads types
The types of brake pad
- Semi-metallic brake pads
- Low metallic brake pads
- Ceramic brake pads
Are ceramic brake pads quieter than semi metallic?
what are the quietest types of brake pads?
ceramic brake pads are generally quieter than semi-metallic brake pads. Ceramic pads produce less noise because they are made from a denser, finer material that reduces vibrations and noise levels during braking.
The brake pads materials:
Semi-metallic brake pads are composed of a mixture of metallic fibers (such as steel, iron, copper, brass, and bronze), synthetic resins, graphite, Kevlar, ceramic particles, lubricants, and abrasives. These materials provide excellent stopping power, durability, and heat dissipation, making them ideal for heavy-duty vehicles and high-performance applications. However, they tend to be noisier and produce more brake dust compared to ceramic and organic pads.
Ceramic brake pads are made from a dense ceramic material combined with copper fibers. This composition provides quiet operation, a long lifespan, and minimal dust production, making them an excellent choice for everyday driving and high-performance vehicles. Ceramic brake pads offer reliable stopping power and are gentler on rotors compared to semi-metallic pads, though they may be more expensive.
For the quietest braking experience, ceramic brake pads are the best choice due to their low noise levels, minimal dust production, and long lifespan. Organic pads are also a good option for quiet operation but may not last as long or perform as well as ceramic pads.
Who make the quietest brake pads
Several manufacturers are known for producing high-quality, quiet brake pads, particularly ceramic brake pads.
Here are some of the top brands:
Akebono
Known for producing some of the quietest ceramic brake pads on the market. Their ProACT and EURO Ultra-Premium ceramic pads are highly rated for quiet operation and minimal dust production.
Bosch:
Offers quiet and reliable ceramic brake pads. The QuietCast Premium Ceramic Brake Pads are designed for quiet performance and durability.
Wagner
Known for their ThermoQuiet ceramic brake pads. These pads feature a unique design that helps reduce noise, vibration, and harshness.
EBC Brakes
Produces a range of quiet ceramic brake pads. The EBC Redstuff Ceramic Brake Pads are popular for their quiet performance and low dust production.
Raybestos
Offers quiet and efficient ceramic brake pads. The Raybestos Element 3 Enhanced Hybrid Technology (EHT) pads provide a good balance of quiet operation and performance.
Power Stop
Known for their Z23 Evolution Sport Ceramic Brake Pads. These pads are designed to provide quiet, dust-free braking performance.
Ketulla brakes
As a brake pad manufacturer & Supplier running for 24 years, we do aftermarket brake pads and OEM brake pads for some famous brands, We guarantee quality with strict ECR 90 and Ameca certificates, Here’s the quietest brake pads in our inventory of high-quality performance brake pads:
Carbon ceramic pads FF grade This is a regular product of our company with a large trade volume at present. Based on the technical optimization and improvement of our old formula, the performance has increased by 1.2%
Carbon ceramic pads FF grade This is a regular product of our company with a large trade volume at present. Based on the technical optimization and improvement of our old formula, the performance has increased by 1.2%
Carbon high performance ceramic disc pads GF grade This product is mainly used when the friction coefficient and braking performance of brake pads are required to be better. At present, it is mainly used in coupes and sports cars. The materials used in this product are more refined, and the high temperature generated during the braking process of the vehicle will not cause the friction performance to decline, so it is recommended to use this product, especially for vehicles in special areas. But relatively speaking, the price is higher than semi-metallic brake pads.
Ketulla designed these brake pads with chamfered and slotted pad edges. This promotes silent braking.
